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The smallest state seemed larger for students at Northern Lincoln Elementary School, after a giant, interactive map of Rhode Island, equipped with QR codes, was delivered to the school.

Margaret Rock, a 5th-grade teacher at Northern, explained that the map, which measures 16 feet by 24 feet, was loaned to the school by the Rhode Island Geography Education Alliance, and classes had the opportunity recently to use the “traveling map,” which makes its rounds through Rhode Island schools, for two weeks.

While Rhode Island is tiny, Rock explained, she hoped this map and associated QR codes showed students “there really is a lot outside Lincoln and Manville,” inspired them to travel and encouraged their families to travel with them to different areas of the state. Each grade was able to use the map, Rock explained, and teachers selected different instructional activities appropriate for their students’ ages.

The map came with a trunk of additional materials, she said, including copies of the book “Rhode Island – The Ocean State” by Donald D’Amato, inflatable globes, geography and social studies picture vocabulary cards, a Rhode Island flag and other items, such as small traffic cones, scavenger hunt cards, bingo chips and a binder with organized lesson plans and more information for teachers. Having these visuals and hands-on experience, Rock said, will boost students’ understanding of not only their specific location, but where they are in relation to other regions of Rhode Island.

“Sometimes people think with GPS, you don’t need maps anymore, but you really do,” the 5th-grade teacher explained.

Students in her class dove into geography lessons, analyzing physical, political and cultural maps, as well as time zone maps and specific area charts that outline landmarks in Washington, D.C.

Next to nothing in this video will make you happy about the way things operate for refugees in Northern Uganda who have fled from South Sudan. We all know the about the dire conditions that refugees face, but knowing about the specifics, and hearing stories from the refugees about their lives and living conditions is powerful. A huge influx of refugees can tax local resources, especially water. Food can be shipped in, but water a much more locally variable resource. The UN refugee camps recommend at least 15 liters of water per person be made available each day, but often it is more like 4-8 liters in these camps. Dedicated wells (or boreholes) are more effective, but costly. Trucking in water from the Nile River is the preferred method to simply keep these drowning people’s heads above water.

Questions to Ponder: Consider how much water you drink, use for cooking, bathing, etc. per day in your household. How difficult would it be to live on 4 liters of water a day? What about your lifestyle would be changed?

“After four-plus years of fighting, Syria’s war has killed at least hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. And, though it started as a civil war, it’s become much more than that. It’s a proxy war that has divided much of the Middle East, and has drawn in both Russia and the United States. To understand how Syria got to this place, it helps to start at the beginning and watch it unfold.”

Over a year ago I posted a previous version of this video highlighting the complexities behind the Syrian war. Much has happened since then and this updated version adds more detail and includes a very helpful timeline to show how more internal and external forces became involved in the fighting. This is an incredibly complicated geopolitical situation because of all the regional and international players involved.

This is one more example of me preaching to the choir, but I hope that this will arm you with resources to use in discussions with administrators and colleagues in the fight against geographic ignorance. This is a great article to put into my new tag of article that discuss why geography matters.

We are looking forward to a tremendous slate of speakers and presenters; featuring experts on the geography of coffee, veterans of AP Human Geography, and many more. Alliance T-shirts, books, map giveaways, great dining—all in a beautiful location amidst great colleagues. There will be more details forthcoming, but in the meantime, please mark your calendars and invite colleagues to join us! REGISTER HERE to reserve your spot at the event.

“The progress in Rhode Island toward clean water owes a lot to this federal law. Seeing urban rivers and the beaches and coves of the upper bay rediscovered as natural assets for wildlife and people to enjoy is one of the great successes of the Clean Water Act [of 1972].”

This article from geographer Mary Grady shows a pleasant story in the human and environmental interaction. The upper bay (that in-between place where the Providence River widens and becomes part of the Narragansett Bay) has been cleaned up and has ecologically been revitalized and is becoming an asset to the community again. It is far from pristine, but it nice to read about encouraging signs on this front.

“Do You LOVE Maps? Or do you just need one – FAST? You have found the original amazing storeful (in Providence, RI) of maps, globes, atlases, charts, and accessories for travel, recreational, decorative, academic and business use.

We are best known nowadays for pinboard maps and magnetic maps that are attentively handcrafted from quality materials. Plus, we stock the greatest selection of map tacks and pins, plain and fancy.”

Have you ever walked into this treasure on the East Side of Providence? Giving the economic models today, a store specializing in paper maps is not destined to stick around forever and I recommend checking it out. The alliance is working with them to find great local mapping resources into more schools.

Basic Information about the NatGeo Summer WorkshopWhen: June 24-28Where: Washington, DCWho is eligible: -teams of 2 middle school educators-both must be from same school-1 should be a science/social studies teacher and 1 should be in the role of a library, media, or technology specialist -agree to 1 year commitment with Nat Geo with deliverables

The RI Geography Education Alliance is very excited to offer this opportunity to a team of middle school teachers to go to Washington D.C. and be at National Geographic headquarters (trust me, it’s an amazing experience being there–one I wish every teacher could have). Please consider applying with someone else at your school.

Each teacher will receive a $600 stipend for: participating in the summer institute; attending webinars during the 2017-18 academic year; working closely with the Rhode Island Geography Education Alliance to develop an in-state workshop to be held in 2017-2018; and presenting the Geo-Inquiry process at a conference or regional professional development event.

To apply, please complete linked application form below for your school-based team (2 educators). Please submit your applications by Wednesday April 5th, 2017 and the selected teachers will be contacted by Monday April 10th.

The Rhode Island Geography Education Alliance will be selecting two middle school educators (Grades 6-8) to attend an all-expense paid summer workshop at National Geographic Society’s headquarters in Washington, DC, June 24-28, 2017. Both educators should teach at the same school and apply as one team with one application. One teacher must be science or social studies, the other must be the school librarian/media/technology specialist (this person must work with students on a regular basis).

The summer professional development institute focuses on the “Geo-Inquiry” Process and how to integrate this process in the teaching of middle school social studies or science. Rhode Island will be sending a 2-person teacher team to attend the summer institute. Each teacher will receive a $600 stipend for: participating in the summer institute; attending webinars during the 2017-18 academic year; working closely with the Rhode Island Geography Education Alliance to develop an in-state workshop to be held in 2017-2018; and presenting the Geo-Inquiry process at a conference or regional professional development event.

To apply, please complete linked application form below for your school-based team (2 educators). Please submit your applications by Wednesday April 5th, 2017 and the selected teachers will be contacted by Monday April 10th.

We invest in bold people and transformative ideas in the fields of exploration, scientific research, conservation, education, and storytelling. Our goal is to identify, cultivate, and develop the world-changers of today and tomorrow. Our grant recipients are—and have always been—the heart and soul of what we do.

National Geographic grants aren’t just for explorers who are tracking lions, saving whales, or are deep in the Amazon. The National Geographic Society is encouraging K-12 educators to apply for grants. What are they looking for? Creative teaching plans/strategies that:

Address NatGeo goals/priorities

Engaging ideas

Evidence of capability

Sound methodology

Active, experiential, authentic learning

Compelling story!

Can YOU become a National Geographic Grantee and become an emerging educational explorer? Absolutely.